... a new magazine,
National Geographic Traveler
A GOOD TRIP VS. A GREAT ONE: The
difference usually comes down to one
thing-how much you know about a place
before you get there. I've learned that the
hard way, and so have Society members.
Over the years we have had more member
requests for travel information than for any
other kind, so I'm pleased to report that this
March the Society will offer a new maga
zine, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER,
to be published quarterly. Its purpose will
be to give subscribing members travel infor
mation that is accurate, timely, diverse,
comprehensive, and ed
ucational.
To find out what
would be most useful to
members, we sent inter
viewers to all regions of
the country. Hundreds of
Society members were
generous with their time
as they answered ques
tions and evaluated a
sample magazine format
and table of contents.
Members told us they
needed a single, reliable
source of travel informa
tion. They expected Soci
ety standards of accuracy
and photographic excel-
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC
PHOT
lence, and they also em
phatically wanted detailed, practical
information on the specifics of travel-the
what, where, when, and how, so that they
could confidently make vacation plans.
Three-fourths of members surveyed rated
the sample contents very good to excellent.
Many were willing to enroll for a subscrip
tion immediately, and most of those said
that they would find relevant advertising
useful in their travel planning.
Armed with the reactions of Society mem
bers, TRAVELER Editor Joan Tapper and
her staff began working on the first issue.
Among its ten major features will be the
Grand Canyon and Washington, D. C.
Those articles, and every other, will provide
in-depth geographic information to make
readers' trips more interesting. Articles will
also include maps and be supplemented by a
section of practical information that details
how to get there, highlights what to see and
do, and lists representative places to stay
and to eat.
As editor Tapper says of the Grand Can
yon, "It can be experienced in many differ
ent ways. People want to have a sense of the
historical and geographic
background, so that they
understand what they're
seeing." Information also
will be there for TRAVEL
ER readers who want to
reserve rooms or camp
sites, or take mule trips
down to the canyon's
Phantom Ranch.
A regular column
called "Traveling Easy"
will detail travel-related
topics. In the first issue,
Society photography di
rector Bob Gilka will
pass along some of his
vast experience.
APHERJOSEPHD. LAVENBURG
TRAVELER will also
print a seasonal calendar
to cover significant happenings-festivals,
museum exhibits, sports events-all across
the United States, as well as in Canada and
Mexico. These should benefit members both
on the road and near-home.
Recently I sailed across Chesapeake Bay
to a small port and passed a quiet weekend. I
didn't know that a nearby town had a festi
val in progress, with a display featuring the
local art of waterfowl decoys. I'd dropped
anchor in the wrong place. I had the right
charts, but no TRAVELER.
PRESIDENT, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
OGR